Man charged with dumping nails on Lockport school driveway

A Lockport man has been charged with dumping nails at the driveway entrance of Ludwig Elementary School and scaring a school official by chasing after him.

Brian Mestakovich, 66, was charged with dumping garbage on real property and disorderly conduct in connection with both incidents. Mestakovich lives in a residence that is close to the school on North State Street.

On April 4, police received a call from the head of maintenance at Ludwig Elementary School, 710 N. State St., regarding someone throwing nails in the driveway entrance to the school, Lockport Deputy Police Chief Ron Huff said.

“The school was able to clean the nails up before any vehicles were damaged, but the dumping of nails in the drive has been an ongoing issue at the school,” Huff said.

A review of surveillance video revealed a man “throwing nails from his property onto the school’s driveway,” Huff said. Police identified the man as Mestakovich, he said.

“Mr. Mestakovich is known to both officers and the school’s head of maintenance due to numerous past encounters with Mr. Mestakovich at the school,” Huff said.

On April 21, the head of maintenance for the school drove into the school’s parking lot to check for more nails when he saw Mestakovich kneeling down behind a garbage can that was in the front yard of his residence, Huff said.

“Mr. Mestakovich jumped up from behind the garbage can and raced towards the vehicle the victim was in,” Huff said. “The victim was scared that Mr. Mestakovich was going to try and enter his vehicle so he drove away.”

Because of that incident, Will County Assistant State’s Attorney Ian Barr filed a motion asking a judge to ban Mestakovich from school grounds and order him not to possess a firearm.

A judge granted the request on May 9. Mestakovich made his first court appearance on that day.